## ycPkHWfHlQ f SERVE D NOVEMBE R10 , 201 1 'RANSPORTATIO N • •JCKETOFERATIOM S UNITE D STATE S DEPARTMBN T O FTRANSPORTATIO N "^'^'^'^ iJO ^ ''- I A 9 ; 5 8 OFFIC EO FHEARING S WASHINGTON . D. C Applicatio n of SMIT H CABL ESYSTEMS , INC . FAA DOCKE T NO . |T O B EASSIGNED] , successo r t o CP()9AL001 2 DMSNo . rAA-20II--IOIO , successo r rni-AA-2n09-Oy7 6 (Equal Acces s t o Justic e Aclion ) INITIA L DECISIO N DENYIN G APPLICATIO N FO R ATTORNEY' S FEE S

AN D OTHE R EXPENSE S I . Backgroun d Sinir hCabl e Systems , Inc . ("Smit hCable" ) i s an Alaska-base dcompan y whic h install s cabl e an dtelephon e systems , ga s lines , an dth e like . Thi s applicatio n unde r th e Equa l Acces s t o justic e Act , 5 U.S.C . 5504 , originate di n aproceedin g i n whic hth e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n ("FAA " o r "th e agency" ) charge dSmit hCabl e wit h variou s violation s of

th e Departmen t

oFTransportation' s Hazardou s Material s Regulation s ("HMRs") . Th e allegation s i n th e underlyin g proceedin g originate di n a shipmen t of dangerou s good s Smit hCabl e ha doffere dt o Alask aAirlines . Th e shipmen t ha dbee n undeclared . ' Th e agenc y ha dsough t acivi l penalt y of

$60,000 . Followin g an ora l evidentiar y hearing , o n Augus t 3 , 201 1 I issue dan initia l Decisio n ("I.D." ) i n whic hIfoun dtha t th e FAA ha dno t

prove n th e allegations . I dismisse dth e Complain t (Federal Aviatio n Admimstratio u v. Smit hCab k Systems , Inc. . FAA Docke t No . CP09AL0012 , Initia l Decisio n of Administrativ e La w Judg e Richar dC . Goodwin) . Neithe r

part y appealed . Th e cas e becam e administrativel y final . Smit hCabl e the n file da n applicatio n fo r attorney' s fee s an dothe r expense s unde r th e Equa l Acces s tojustic c Ac t ("EAJA " o r

"th e Act") , 5 U.S.C . 5504 , an d implementin g regulation s 1 4 C.F.R . Par t 14 . Th e agenc y answere di n opposition . Fo r th e reason s se t

fort hbelow . 1 den y th e application .

' "Undeclared " mean

s tha t th e shipmen t ha dno t me t markin g an dlabelin g requirements fo

r th e ai r transportation o

f hazardou s materials . Th

e agenc y ha dcharge dSmit hCabl e wit hviolatin g sixtee n HMRs : 49 CFR§ § 171.2(e) , l72.200(a K 172.20Ud) , 172.202(aXl)-(a)(3) , 172.202(aK5) , 172.20:^(0 . 172.204(a) , 172.204(c)(2) , 172.204(c)(3) . 172.300(a) . 172.301(a) , 172.400(a) , 172.604(a) , an d173.27(b)(1) .

## 11 . Decisio n Siiiit hCable' s applicatio n inus t b e denie dbecaus e tli e FA j A statut e doe s no t appl y t o thi s case . Smit hCabl e i s no t permitte dt o see k

relie f unde r it . Th e EAJ A simpl y doe s no t

appl y t o hazardou s material s cases . Dominion Conccpli, , inc. , FA A Orde r No . 2005-4 , 200 5 \V L91605 0 (Marc h10 , 2005) , p . 5 . A s th e Administrato r

explained , th e fiAJ

A statut e applie s onl y wher e Congres s "ha s clearl y expresse dit s intent " tha t procecchng s b e governe db y th e Administrativ e Procedur e Act . Th e hazardou s material s statut e unde r whic hthi s cas e wa s brought , 4 9 U.S.C . 555101

- 5128 , doc s no t

clearl y expres s suc han iiitcnt . Applyin g th e EAJ A t o case s arisin g unde r th e hazardou s material s statut e woul dcontraven e Congress ' intent . Th e Administrato r als o point s ou t

tha t th e agency' s holdin g i s mad e wit hdu e regar dfo r th e principl e tha t "ther e i s apresumptio n agains t waiver s of

sovereig n immunity , an dth e court s strictl y constru e suc hwaiver s [footnote s omitted]. " Dominion Concc{.ns , Inc. , (xS ; se e discussion,lip . 5-8 . Fo r th e reason s state dabove . Smit hCabl e may no r see k EAj A relief. A s such , I den y th e application.

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e appea l mus t li e eithe r (a ) maile dt o th e Federa l Aviatio n Administration , 80

0 Independence Avenue , S.W. . Washington , O.C . 20591 , Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk, AGC-430 , Wilbu

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r service t o th e Federa l Aviatio n Administration . 600 Independence Avenue , S.W. , Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W1000 . Washington . D.C . 20591 , Attemion : Hearin g Docke t Clerk . AGC-430 .

### FDM S No . FAA-20n-lOI O (Equal Acces s t o Justic e Act) SERVIC ELIS T ORIGINA L& ON ECOP Y Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W1OOO'

ON E COP Y Ronal dG . Smith , Presiden t Smit hCabl e Systems , Inc . Throug hCounse l Brent R . Cole , Applicant' s Counse l Marsto n & Cole , P.C . 82 1 N Street , Suit e 20 8 Anchorage , A

K 99501-213 6 TEL- . 907-277-800 1 FAX : 907-277-800 2 Crai g Wm . Black , Agency' s Counse l Offic e o f th e Regional Counsel , AAL- 7 Alaska n Regio n Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 22 2 Wes t Sevent hAvenue , Bo x 1 4 Anchorage , A

K 99513-758 7 TEL : 907-271-357 0 FAX : 907-271-280 0 Th e Honorabl e RichardC . Goodwin , Administrativ e LOM'Judg e Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Washington , D C 2059 0 TEL : 202-366-213 9 Attorney-Adviso r 202-366-512 1 Legal Assistan t FAX : 202-366-753 6

' Ser\'ic e wa s b y U.S . Mail . Fo

r servic e i n perso n o r b y expedite dcourier , us e tli c foMowin g address : Federa l Aviatio n Administration

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